Reuben

[ roo-buhn ]

noun

1. the eldest son of Jacob and Leah. Genesis 29, 30.
2. one of the 12 tribes of Israel, the tribe traditionally descended from him.
3. Reuben sandwich.
4. a male given name.

Reuben

/ ˈruːbɪn /

noun

1. the eldest son of Jacob and Leah: one of the 12 patriarchs of Israel (Genesis 29:30)
2. the Israelite tribe descended from him
3. the territory of this tribe, lying to the northeast of the Dead Sea

Word History and Origins

Origin of Reuben¹

From Late Latin Ruben, from Greek Rhoubḗn, from Hebrew Rĕʾūbhēn, of uncertain origin, but traditionally translated as “Behold, a son!” and associated with Rāʾāh bĕʿōnī “He (God) has looked upon my affliction” (by granting Leah a son)

Example Sentences

The man who would come to be known as Roy Masters was born Reuben Obermeister in 1920s London.

From The Daily Beast

“She was born into slavery,” Reuben said of her character, Elizabeth Keckley.

From The Daily Beast

Seated between two fellow reporters I ordered a Reuben sandwich and sipped from a tall glass of ice water.

From The Daily Beast

Reuben the oldest was told that he would not excel, because he had loved his father's concubine and committed a grievous sin.

From Project Gutenberg

Thus Reuben learned of a peculiar tragedy, in a manner which no reading in itself could so well have taught him.

From Project Gutenberg

When Reuben spied the house on Mount Holyoke he realized then that he saw his first mountain.

From Project Gutenberg

It would have been hard for Reuben to say just why he found the Perdu so attractive.

From Project Gutenberg

But it was the mother's opposition that loomed large in Reuben's eyes.

From Project Gutenberg